Economist goes futurist?
The Economist is running a survey/series of articles on the Internet Society, starting with
Digital dilemmas:
Despite the dotcom boom and bust, the computer and telecommunications revolution has barely begun. Over the next few decades, the internet and related technologies really will profoundly transform society, argues David Manasian
… The taste for hyperbole of Mr Barlow, Mr Lessig and their sort may be easy to mock, but they are right in their fundamental claim: the internet and its related technologies are capable of transforming society. Far from being over, the computer and telecoms revolution that created the internet has barely begun. These technologies will change almost every aspect of our lives—private, social, cultural, economic and political. In some areas, the changes may be marginal, but in most they will be profound, and unprecedented.
Other articles in the survey include: No hiding place; Only disconnect; A fine balance; Power to the people; Caught in the net; Through a glass darkly. Worth a look.